Census-designated place · Virginia
Merrifield, Virginia
Merrifield, census-designated place, in Fairfax County, Virginia. Merrifield had 20,698 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,349). GEOID 5151192.
Residents, 2020-2024
20,698
±1,349 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 20,488
Median household income
$136,373
±$16,108 (90% margin)
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$660,800
±$41,518 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$2,368
±$71 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Merrifield and what county is it in?
Merrifield is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Fairfax County, Virginia. It covers 2.7 square miles of land, 7,591 residents per square mile in 2020.
Merrifield is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 23 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Merrifield, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Merrifield's population at 20,698 (±1,349). The 2020 Census counted 20,488 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Merrifield is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Merrifield | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 20,698 ±1,349 | 1,147,837 | +2,407 |
| Households | 9,435 ±537 | 414,101 | +1,541 |
| Average household size | 2.19 ±0.11 | 2.75 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 9,853 ±519 | 430,047 | +1,166 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Merrifield?
The median resident of Merrifield is 34.6 years old; 17.4% are under 18 and 8.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 36.0%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 35.8%. 45.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Merrifield | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±1.0 | 39.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.4% ±2.8 pts | 22.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.7% ±1.9 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Male | 52.6% ±2.3 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.2% ±3.3 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 36.0% ±4.4 pts | 46.8% | −7.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.3% ±2.5 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 35.8% ±5.1 pts | 19.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±1.7 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 45.7% ±5.0 pts | 30.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 54.0% ±5.6 pts | 39.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4% ±1.4 pts | 7.5% | – |
| With a disability | 5.2% ±1.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.4% ±2.1 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.1% ±1.7 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 76.2% ±3.9 pts | 65.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 43.3% ±5.0 pts | 33.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 75.5% ±4.5 pts | 87.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.0% ±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Merrifield earn?
Half of Merrifield's 9,435 households earn less than $136,373 a year (±$16,108), against $153,637 in Fairfax County and $93,170 in Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $140,569 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Merrifield | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $136,373 ±$16,108 | $153,637 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $158,411 ±$10,954 | $195,941 | – |
| Per capita income | $73,653 ±$6,647 | $71,828 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.1% ±2.2 pts | 5.9% | −5.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.0% ±5.4 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.8% ±1.2 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±1.1 pts | 98.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.4% ±1.1 pts | 96.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Merrifield?
Owners occupy 39.1% of Merrifield's occupied homes and renters 60.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $660,800 by its owner (±$41,518). The median renter pays $2,368 a month including utilities, and 31.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Merrifield | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $660,800 ±$41,518 | $732,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $2,368 ±$71 | $2,276 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.4% ±5.7 pts | 36.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,920 ±$141 | $3,227 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 39.1% ±4.1 pts | 68.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 60.9% ±4.1 pts | 31.4% | – |
| Housing units | 9,853 ±519 | 430,047 | +1,166 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 10.9% ±2.1 pts | 45.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 28.4% ±3.4 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.1% ±1.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.5% ±2.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Merrifield work and get to work?
44.7% of Merrifield's workers drive alone and 34.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 28.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.3%.
| Measure | Merrifield | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 80.4% ±2.7 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% ±1.2 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 44.7% ±4.7 pts | 55.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.3% ±2.5 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 7.9% ±2.2 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Walked | 3.6% ±1.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 34.6% ±4.2 pts | 28.7% | +29.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.1 min ±1.9 | 28.9 min | −3.6 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Merrifield?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Merrifield (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $111,509 (Tract 4616.05) to $201,106 (Tract 4616.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4617Fairfax County | 6,974 | $154,987 |
| Tract 4616.05Fairfax County | 3,822 | $111,509 |
| Tract 4402.01Fairfax County | 4,394 | $143,159 |
| Tract 4616.06Fairfax County | 3,086 | $111,894 |
| Tract 4616.04Fairfax County | 2,422 | $201,106 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Merrifield) · Census block assignment files
How does Merrifield compare with other places in Virginia?
Merrifield ranks 87th of 365 places in Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 65th | 374 |
| Residents per square mile | 11th | 374 |
| Median household income | 87th | 365 |
| Per capita income | 49th | 374 |
| Median home value | 65th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 59th | 341 |
| Poverty rate | 213th | 263 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26th | 359 |
| Median age | 310th | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 349th | 368 |
| Work from home | 30th | 286 |
| Travel time to work | 144th | 372 |
Merrifield's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Merrifield with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Merrifield?
9 of the 57 figures for Merrifield on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Merrifield are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.